6.6: Using Information

Communicating Information

After you have conducted your research and carefully evaluated your sources, the next step is to communicate your ideas clearly and effectively. Communicating your findings can take many forms, including writing papers, creating presentations, or participating in discussions. Effectively sharing your research demonstrates your ability to think critically about the information you have gathered. It shows that you can organize your ideas, identify key insights, and connect your findings to larger concepts or real-world issues. Clear communication also helps your audience follow your reasoning, understand the significance of your evidence, and appreciate the conclusions you draw.

Keep in mind that different formats require different strategies. Writing an essay often calls for careful organization, a strong thesis, and accurate citation of sources. A presentation may rely on concise explanations, engaging storytelling, and effective use of visual aids. Even in informal settings, clear and thoughtful communication helps convey your ideas effectively.

Ultimately, the ability to communicate your research is a central part of being information literate. It is not only about reporting facts, but also about demonstrating that you can analyze, interpret, and share knowledge responsibly.

Outlining

Creating an outline is a great way to start organizing your thoughts before you begin writing. In an outline, you are mapping out the main ideas you intend to express in your paper and determining how to best incorporate your research. Think of it as the blueprint for your paper, it keeps you on track and ensures that your ideas flow logically.

Here’s a sample outline based on the earlier example topic of how social media affects body image in teenagers.

Sample Outline

Thesis Statement: Social media use can negatively affect teenagers’ body image by promoting unrealistic beauty standards, encouraging constant comparison, and influencing self-esteem.

I. Introduction

• Hook: A statistic about how many teens use social media daily
• Background: Brief overview of social media’s role in teen culture
• Thesis statement

II. Unrealistic Beauty Standards

• Research evidence: Studies discussing filtered images and edited content
• Example: “Instagram vs. reality” trends
• Connection to body image issues

III. Comparison Culture

• How algorithms show idealized content
• Research evidence: psychology journals about “social comparison” effects

IV. Impact on Self-Esteem

• How social media can lead to negative self-perception
• Research evidence: findings from a scholarly articles on mental health outcomes

V. Conclusion

• Restate thesis and main findings
• Suggest positive uses of social media (e.g., support groups, body-positive campaigns)
• End with a takeaway message about using social media mindfully
   

You will learn more about outlining and other ways to organize your ideas in the Academic Success Strategies Chapter. 

 

Remember, the Writing Center in the Learning Commons is an excellent resource when you are working on a paper or any writing assignment. Writing tutors can assist you at any stage of the writing process, from brainstorming and outlining to drafting, revising, and citing your sources. Meeting with a tutor can help you organize your ideas, improve clarity, and strengthen your academic writing skills.

You can schedule an appointment with a writing tutor for in-person or virtual support. If you prefer online feedback, the Writing Center also offers the HACC Online Writing Lab (HOWL). Through HOWL, students can submit written work such as journal entries, essays, papers, or speeches and receive detailed feedback by email from a professional HACC writing tutor. After receiving your written feedback, you can schedule a follow-up Zoom session with a HOWL tutor to discuss your revisions and ask questions about the comments.

For more information: https://libguides.hacc.edu/learningcommons/tutoring/home

 

Citing Information

An information-literate student knows not only how to find information, but also how to use that information in an effective and ethical manner. Once you have found your sources, you will be connecting ideas and synthesizing the knowledge gained from your research. In order to do so responsibly, you need to give credit to the authors of the material you are using. To avoid plagiarism, you must give credit any time you are using someone else's words or ideas. Giving credit includes when you quote materials directly as well as when you summarize information in your own words. Plagiarism, whether intentional or by accident, can have serious consequences including failing assignments or even a class. Your course syllabus will include more information about your instructor’s policies on plagiarism. Most classes will use either MLA or APA style guidelines for citing sources and formatting papers. The library has numerous resources to help you create correct citations.

Avoiding Plagiarism

• Be sure to keep track of all the sources you are using in your paper.

• When using the exact words of the author, be sure to include quotations around the material you are quoting. You want to use direct quotations sparingly in your paper.

• If you are not sure if a source should be cited or not, go ahead and cite.

• Remember, citing is a two-step process. Citing includes an in-text citation where you reference the author in the sentence and a works cited or reference list of all your sources at the end of your paper.

• Try summarizing the material in your own words. Even if you are using your own words, you still need to give credit to the author.

• Use the citation resources available from the HACC library for examples on how to cite specific sources in MLA, APA or other formats. 

• For more information: https://libguides.hacc.edu/citingsources

 

Ask for Help!

If you get stuck at any point in your research process, whether you’re narrowing a topic, finding sources, creating citations, or revising your paper, HACC librarians and writing tutors are here to help!

You can:

• Visit the Library and Learning Commons in person or explore the resources online
• Book an appointment with a Librarian or Tutor through the Learning Commons website
• Chat online for quick help
• Submit your paper to the writing center for feedback and review 

Remember, great research and writing are built through curiosity, collaboration, and practice. Reaching out for help is part of becoming a confident, capable student and researcher.